2013 Ford Focus ST: High Performance Yellow

March 15, 2013

Running errands in our long-term Ford Focus ST this weekend, I parked across from a bright-yellow Chevrolet Cobalt SS. I immediately felt a sense of camaraderie.

It's nice to see another cheerful color amongst beige sedans and non-offensive silver SUVs. Yellow is a paint color that you don't really see on mini-vans or SUVs (unless they've been converted to taxi-cabs). Car companies seem to give small, fast automobiles a yellow paint job to designate them as high-performance and to help them stand out in a crowd. The paint however, wasn't the only thing these cars had in common.

When this Supercharged Cobalt SS was new in 2005 it cost around $22,000 and the current Ford Focus ST has an MSRP of $23,700. (This was not, by the way, the one of the coveted 2008-'10 Cobalt SS coupes with the more powerful turbocharged motor and upgraded suspension.) While you get some additional features standard on the Focus ST (like a sixth gear), they've both got forced induction, tuned suspension, and vibrant yellow paint. They're basically hyped up versions of regular economy cars and I like both of them. Our Ford Focus ST has more space and utility, but it reminds me of cars like the Cobalt SS and even the old 'Phoenix-Yellow' Acura Integra Type-R.

My personal car is a '96 Integra, and I think it's a great success when a car company can combine comfort, handling, speed and efficiency into a small, affordable package like Ford has in the Focus ST. I also like it when car companies paint their high-performance cars in vivid, unique colors like this Tangerine Scream Tri-Coat Metallic.